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Tuesday, 30 June 2015

Top Ten Books I've Read so Far in 2015

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the wonderful folks over at The Broke & The Bookish - head over there to join in with future topics!2015 has been a pretty awesome year for books so far with an incredible array of publications. There are still yet more amazing ones to come, but in the mean time it's time to take a look back at the ones I've enjoyed the most in the first six months. It was really tough cutting it down to ten because I have been remarkably lucky with the caliber of books I've picked up. But I valiantly chopped it down to ten books that I am mightily glad I read/sobbed over/laughed with/got mushy over.The Game of Love & Death by Martha BrockenbroughThis book was absolutely gorgeous. It drew me in with its beautiful prose and unique story, filled me with love and hope and outrage. Such hard and visceral emotions that aren't normally provoked in such depth when I read. I couldn't stop reading, tugged ever onward through the narrative, and had no real idea how it could end. It was a book that kept me guessing, touched me in ways I am rarely touched by books and left me in tears at the end.I turned the last page and put the book down, sobbing. My Husband turned to me and said, "was it a bad book?"And I replied, "no, it was perfect."You can read my review here

One by Sarah CrossanThis book hasn't yet reached our shelves, but I read it in May in one sitting, and it was utterly glorious. Written in free verse, the prose is sparse and simplistic, but even more moving and effective for its brevity. Do not underestimate this story and the power it holds. It is beautiful and heartbreaking and some of the most effective prose I have ever read. August cannot come soon enough so that I can talk about it properly!Check back in August for my review!An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa TahirThis was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and thankfully it exceeded all of my hopes. Brutal, devastating and utterly thrilling, I loved the world, the conflict, the characters. The juxtaposition of Elias and Laia's stories work beautifully showcasing Tahir's writing skills at creating raw, quiet character development as well as big, brash bursts of action. I was swept away in this novel and I cannot wait for the sequel next year, but in the mean time I'm going to keep listening to the gorgeous audiobook read by Steve West and Fiona Hardingham, who bring the book into incredible life with their narratives.You can read my review here

The Girl at Midnight by Melissa GreyAnother beautiful urban fantasy novel, reminiscent of Laini Taylor's 'Daughter of Smoke and Bone'. Another human caught in the middle of a war of magical creatures, another fight for survival, but wrapped in all of that is a truly unique story filled with humour, love, betrayal and desperation. Grey's prose is stunning and Echo was a truly extraordinary heroine who pulled me through and into this treasure hunt race against everyone else to solve the puzzle and end the war.You can read my review hereThe Last Leaves Falling by Sarah BenwellSarah's debut novel is stunning. Quiet and filled with raw beauty and dignity, this is a debut to be reckoned with. If you're looking for a diverse read, this should be at the top of your list. Sora is a Japanese teenage suffering from ALS and trying to work out how to live in the limited time available to him instead of just existing. It is poignant, full of heartbreak and sadness and hope and above all leaves you thinking long after you've turned the final page.You can read my review here

Lion Heart by A. C. GaughenThis series has been one of my favourites, and Scarlet one of my favourite heroines ever since A C Gaughen's debut novel 'Scarlet', which I read in one sitting whilst I was horribly ill and ended up sobbing and clutching the book to my chest I loved it so much. Each book since then has lived up to the incredibly high bar set by Scarlet, and Lion Heart provides the perfect, poignant and beautiful finale to a truly incredible series. This is my favourite Robin Hood retellings, and Scarlet one of the most human, tough and vulnerable in equal parts, heroines around.You can read my review hereOutlander by Diana GabaldonI had heard of Outlander in passing, but never really found out any more about it, until the incredible TV series began on Starz. I stormed through the first eight episodes and then in the hiatus got my hands on all of the books because my Outlander hangover was truly insane. The book was incredible. Despite the size I raced through it, immersing myself in Claire and Jamie's story, in their world - the politics and the language and the landscape. I fell in love with it all, but mostly I fell in love with them. They are the true heart of the story, one of the most incredible, complex and loving relationships I've seen depicted in fiction. This book (and the following series) are now favourites, ones I love to get lost in.You can read my review here

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée AhdiehThis book is gorgeous. Sumptuous prose, a captivating story. It pulled me in and I was swept away with the dual narrative of Shahrzad's story and the story she tells. It is an incredible novel, full of hope and fear, anger and love. I fell in love with it completely and cannot recommend it enough.Keep an eye out for my review in July!Every Breath by Ellie MarneyA teenage Sherlock Holmes story with Watson as a girl?! My interest was definitely piqued, and oh boy was this book brilliant. Funny, fast paced, with one of the most butterfly inducing relationships at its heart. James Mycroft and Rachel Watts are the perfect team, dragged unwittingly into solving a murder, this book avoids all of the cliches and pitfalls usually associated with teen murder mysteries and instead creates a thrilling and compelling story that had me racing with bated breath to the conclusion. Watts and Mycroft have one of my very favourite fictional relationships, a brilliant friendship with a smoldering chemistry and I cannot wait to get onto the second book in the trilogy.You can read my review hereThe Accident Season by Moira Fowley-DoyleThis is such a gorgeous book. Filled with slippery magic and secrets, reading this is like sleepwalking, like watching events through a haze where you aren't quite sure what's real and what's imaginary. It's a quiet, twisting story about love and friendship and the secrets we keep and lies we tell ourselves and how they can warp and take on a life of their own. Fans of Maggie Stiefvater will love this stunning debut novel.You can read my review hereSo these are my top ten books that I've read so far this year, but now I want to hear from you! Are any of these books on your top ten? And are you interested in picking up any new ones you've spotted in this list? What books made it onto your lists? Let me know in the comments below!

Oh, my, I've only heard of about half of these (and at least half of those are on my TBR list already!) But they all sound wonderful. Thank you for the mini-reviews; it really helps me think about which books to add to my TBR.

I'm so glad they were helpful! I always enjoy knowing why people have picked the books on their lists, so I'm glad they've helped you find some new ones for your TBR pile! I really hope you enjoy them!

Nice picks. Your list is filled with books I am really excited to read, so I am happy to here you enjoyed them all. The Game of Love and Death made my list too. That was such a wonderful book, it deserves so much more attention. Here's my TTT.

The Accident Season is one I've been seeing around and getting really excited about!! I also get super curious about The Outlander series... but I also get intimidated by large books, and 850 pages!!!! Well, that's a little scary :)

I flew through Outlander, definitely don't be put off the size, it's a very good and surprisingly quick read given the page number! I really hope you enjoy it, and there's always the TV series which is also awesome! The Accident Season is incredible, if you're a fan of Maggie Stiefvater then you'll love this, it's a really beautiful book. Thanks so much for reading!

I LOVE EVERY BREATH SO MUCH, I AM LITERALLY BUSTING WITH HAPPINESS OVER IT. xD I won bk 2 in a giveaway so when it comes, I will devour it so fast. fjaskldf Australian books at its finest, to be sure. :) OH! OH! I cannot wait to read The Wrath and the Dawn!! And The Accident Season sounds aaamazing too.

I've read so many books this year already I can't even remember what I fell in love with. xD THAT IS THE TRIALS OF A FAST READER. I'm insanely addicted to Ensnared, of course, Morpehus is my life. And I'm so into Game of Thrones and Skulduggery Pleasant and Rick Riordan. (Yup. I am a weirdly eclectic reader.xD) AND HOLLY BLACK. I can't get enough of her books.

EVERY BREATH IS SO AWESOME. So glad you helped bring it to my attention, I am officially in love. As a fellow Stiefvater fan you will LOVE The Accident Season. I'm just gonna leave this copy tantalizingly close and wait for the love to start. Plus The Wrath and the Dawn! READ IT! READ IT!Ah yes the trials of a fast reader are many, we are cursed to read ALL THE BOOKS, it is tragic. Totally with you on Holly Black because YES, also Game of Thrones, working my way through book 2 at the moment and am thoroughly hooked. I haven't yet read Ensnared, but I now have a mighty need to see what this Morpheus is...

Wow, some of these are new to me, Such as Every Breath but it sounds so amazing I may have to go buy it right now! I loved The Girl at Midnight and I'm so glad to see it on other peoples posts too, I know it got some flack for being 'not so unique' but I still loved it. An Ember in the Ashes and Outlander are both in my soon-to-be-read pile so I hope I love them as much as you!

I really hope you enjoy An Ember in the Ashes and Outlander, both really good but really different books. I can see where people were coming from with the similarities on TGaM, but whilst it had some surface similarities it was such a different story, it was so sad that some people couldn't see past it. Also, Every Breath is AMAZING. Seriously brilliant, I really hope you enjoy it!

The Girl at Midnight is something I'm very keen on trying soon! I heard all about its amazing and captivating prose and how it was kind of similar to Daughter of Smoke and Bone when it comes to writing style. And Every Breath is that one book you keep seeing everywhere that people love as much as their children. Haha. I really need to get on with the times and read these lovelies!

There are a few similarities between DoSaB and TGaM, but they are such unique and brilliant books in their own right. I really hope you enjoy it when you get to it! Ah! Every Breath! SUCH A GOOD BOOK. I am still flailing over how brilliant it was and I cannot wait to get onto the second book in the series! I hope you enjoy them too!

Nice list! I've seen An Ember in Ashes on a lot of lists, I need to read this I feel.I was like you with Outlander! Except so far I've only read the first one and I haven't yet watched it all but I love it! It's an amazing relationship they have, especially a man from Jamies' times.

An Ember in the Ashes has its problems, but it's also brilliant. I really hope you enjoy it and I look forward to seeing what you think of it! GAH WATCH THE SERIES! So good. So hard to watch at the end but so good. I'm only in the middle of the second book at the moment so I still have a lot of series left to read but I am loving it. Their relationship! Jamie! I am quite terribly smitten...